But he felt let down by the council and says the whole mess could have been avoided if they'd spoken to iwi.

"That's the miserable point about it all that we've had a strong relationship with council for 20/30 years and on this occasion they chose to ignore something that's really just poke you in the eye."

Mr Tomoana said he hoped it wasn't a sign of how the council planned to go on in the future.

The Environmental Defence Society also welcomed the news that the track would be removed.

Chief executive Gary Taylor said it was the right outcome and any legal action now would be "academic".

"The problem has been solved," he said.

"I think it's really important though for the council to review their consenting processes and I think also the government needs to have a fresh look at the notification provisions in the Resource Management Act."

Craggy Range Winery had been misled by the council, Mr Taylor said.

"Something like that development, which has implications both on a nationally important landscape feature but also cultural implications, should properly have been publicly notified."

If it had been notified the issues that have come out since the track was built would have been dealt with, he said.